That Dam(n) Run (10k in 7 weeks)

Good Monday, loves 🙂

Monday’s have become a day for planning and creativity for me. This Monday I am setting up a 7 week running plan for my 10 k coming up in October.

This is the second time I’ve run in this 10k, but this time I have a proper plan in place. Last year, I tried running a bit and getting in some sort of shape for it, but I ended up not running for the entire two weeks prior to the race! But I still finished the race, I walked a lot, but I finished in about an hour and a half. Which is about a 15 minute mile, not great, but hey, I did it!

My goal this year is to make my pace a 10 minutemile. I think I’m at about a 12 minute mile right now, and I haven’t done any distance running since this race last year. So I’ve got some work to do, but things always seem to go better when I have a plan.

That’s the thing I love about plans, I don’t have to worry about feeling lost because there is a guide for me. On the flip side, I don’t tie myself to one route or one way of running. I can run in the gym, or in my neighborhood, or at the school up the street on the track or its trails.

Here’s what it looks like, and I’ll explain it after 🙂

So I found this plan doing some searching on Pinterest, this one comes from Women’s Health.

The way the plan works is you run four days a week, cross train one (depending on how you feel), and rest the other two. The runs increase weekly and vary between timed runs and distance based runs. Wednesday is finished up with striders, where you sprint 100 meters, focusing on keeping your legs underneath you and upping your speed. Here’s the plan written out:

Week One

Monday- 15 mins

Tuesday- rest

Wednesday- 20 mins w/ 2-3 striders

Thursday- 15 mins

Friday- rest

Saturday- 2 miles

Sunday- 30-45 mins optional crosstrain

Week Two

Monday- 20 mins

Tuesday- rest

Wednesday- 20 mins w/ 2-3 striders

Thursday- 20 mins

Friday- rest

Saturday- 3 miles

Sunday- 30-45 mins optional crosstrain

Week Three

Monday- 20 mins

Tuesday- rest

Wednesday- 25 mins w/ 2-3 striders

Thursday- 20 mins

Friday- rest

Saturday- 3 miles

Sunday- 30-45 mins optional crosstrain

Week Four

Monday- 25 mins

Tuesday- rest

Wednesday- 25 mins w/2-3 striders

Thursday- 25 mins

Friday- rest

Saturday- 4 miles

Sunday- 30-45 mins optional crosstrain

Week Five

Monday- 25 mins

Tuesday- rest

Wednesday- 30 mins w/ 2-3 striders

Thursday- 25 mins

Friday- rest

Saturday- 4 miles

Sunday- 30-45 mins optional crosstrain

Week Six

Monday- 30 mins

Tuesday- rest

Wednesday- 3 miles w/ 4-5 striders

Thursday- 30 mins

Friday- rest

Saturday- 5 miles

Sunday- 30-45 mins optional crosstrain

Week Seven

Monday- 2 miles

Tuesday- rest

Wednesday- 20 mins w/ 2 striders

Thursday- rest

Friday- 15 mins

Saturday- rest

Sunday- RACE DAY!!

After the plan, I set up log pages. I want to keep track of how my running is going, and what types of crosstraining I decide to do. I also left some blank space at the end to put some inspiring quotes. I even snuck one it at the top of the first log.

Here are the quotes I chose 🙂 Maybe they’ll inspire you for something, exercise related or not.

don’t stop until you’re proud

it doesn’t get easier, you get stronger

“if I could do it before, I can do it again” josh altman

you don’t have to be extreme, just be consistent

train the voice that says, “give up,” to say “keep going!”

“you must do the thing you think you cannot do” eleanor roosevelt

I’m excited for the upcoming run! If you’re training for a race or mudrun or spartan race, or anything else, let me know what your plan is!

How are you improving your running times? Or changing up how you get active?

I’m also taking part in Yoga Girl (Rachel Brathen’s) #yogaeverydamnday #yogachallenge. The physical goal is to practice yoga every day for 30 days (every day in the month of September). The caveat is to give yourself freedom. Not to force your mind or body to do a 90 minute practice if you just can’t. The true yoga goal is to create space for yourself. Some days may be just a five minute meditation. And that’s okay. If you want to follow along on my journey, I’ve been posting daily on my Instagram and will be sharing here as well 🙂 I’ll be getting real real with it.